don't laugh, but if you know a laydee thats even your age and get insured through diamond or elephant then it'd be cheaper. get yourself on there as a named driver and build up your no claims as well.

I did 10 month accelerator payments so built mine up that way after being years of a named driver.

one thing though, when you do it online, and if you've driven for 10 years, and it asks you how many years you've been insured and not made a claim, you say 10, cos you're not lying, it doesn't go into detail and ask if the policy was in your own name! I've never understood that. I've been driving 10 years, and only really built up 3 years no claims on a policy on my name, the rest of the years i've been a named driver but never had to claim! do they check it out anywhere?

Was planning on me being policy holder etc so i get a year no claims, but it seem's it's just too much money, so i'll just have to be a named driver. Cheer's Len Glover etc Direct Line seem's a good bet.

[cite]Posted By: Bexleyheath_Red[/cite]Was planning on me being policy holder etc so i get a year no claims, but it seem's it's just too much money, so i'll just have to be a named driver. Cheer's Len Glover etc Direct Line seem's a good bet.

Like I say if you stick with Direct line when you eventually insure in your own name you will get no claims credit for the number of years you've been a named driver which will be cheaper than going elsewhere in the short term.

Young drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident and make a claim on their insurance. According to road safety charity Brake, one in eight drivers are under 25, but one in four drivers who die on the roads are in this age group.

Insurance quotes for drivers aged between 17 and 25 vary enormously. We contacted 14 leading car insurance companies for a variety of sample quotes based on a 21-year old man driving a Vauxhall Corsa.

Internet quotes for a high-risk area ranged from around £1,100 a year to more than £4,000. Most insurers also included an extra ‘young driver’ excess of up to £350 on top of the usual excess.

Tips to reduce premiums
Buy a car from a low-risk insurance group, such as a supermini, to limit your premium. When shopping for your new car, get some quotes before you buy.

Enrol in a Pass Plus scheme, run by the Driving Standards Agency to help new drivers gain extra experience.

Some insurers offer policies suited to young drivers. Norwich Union’s Pay-as-you-drive policy charges per journey, while More Than’s DriveTime offers cheaper premiums in exchange for not driving between 11pm and 6am. According to the ABI, 50 per cent of serious or fatal accidents among under-21s happen at night.

Adding named drivers to the policy can reduce the premium, particularly if they are older and more experienced. If the car is to be insured in the young person’s name, transfer the car into their name, too. Many insurers will not provide cover unless the main driver of the car is also the owner.

Excess
Consider increasing the excess. Be realistic, though - if you're 17 and don't have much money, could you afford a £600 excess if you had an accident?

Add your child to your policy if they occasionally use your car. Some insurers allow named drivers to earn their own no claims discount (NCD).

If your child doesn’t drive your car very often – say they are away at university - you may be able to add them as a temporary driver for short periods.

Don't assume that comprehensive cover is always more expensive than third party fire and theft. Third party cover may be cheaper if you're buying a low-value car, but it’s worth getting quotes for both.

The risks of ‘fronting’
It may seem cheaper to put the policy in the parent’s name, with the child as a named driver. However, if the child is actually the main driver, this practice is known as fronting and is illegal. Insurers are increasingly tracing fronted policies.

If you're found out, the insurer may refuse to pay out in the case of an accident and the parent may lose their NCD. The insurer may even pursue legal action for fraud.

Have a vested interest here as I work for a large insurer that may or may not have been quoted above, but I suggest you look at a price comparison site to get an idea of price and then go to the insurer direct as they 'should' be cheaper than any price quoted on a comparison site as they are not paying a commission. If you were to buy through a comparison site, once you have entered all your details on that site in order to generate the quote, you usually have to re-enter them anyway with the insurer once you decide to buy, as that is when the 'real' price is shown, rather than the 'headline' price the comparison site shows.

When actually buying I would speak to a call centre rather than just go online (and I'd get shot for saying this) as you can - at the moment - haggle slightly if you are armed with a series of quotes/other prices - but they have to be like for like policies. There are usually some good offers to be had as a new customer too. As a young driver, an insurer that lets you build up a no claims discount as a named driver is well worth speaking to.

I'm probably being naive but how would an insurance company prove the "fronting" Salad refers to?

Or is it the usual guilty until proved innocent scenario that motorists increasingly seem subject to?

Logically they could simply refuse all named driver claims on the grounds of "fronting". Surely though they in turn have taken money under false pretences from policyholders if there is no intention of honouring claims.

I find the whole Insurance thing a complete con, even if you are Fully Comp have an accident you lose out unless you have GAP insurance as well which picks up the difference between book price & what your car is really worth. I have had to swallow a £500 Excess this year on my car just to get my annual quote below £500 that with a fully protected no claims & being 38 years old. Don't count on your premium reducing significantly as you get older either another insurance fairytale i'm afraid.

[cite]Posted By: Bexleyheath_Red[/cite]Maria you are wrong, how many times have you been told that today lol?

Only the once by you!! I'm hardly ever wrong - I'm a woman! ;o)

LOL

Direct Line Promise
We promise not to increase your price next year
New customers only
You must accept a quote by 31st May 2008
The price you pay for your second policy year will not exceed the price you paid for your first policy year as long as there are no changes in your policy including cover, vehicle, drivers or claims and convictionsIn Northern Ireland cover not available to under 22’s

Albeit you have to be in Northern Ireland for me to be right! ;-) I knew I was Semi Right! )